This invention relates to novel benzosulfones useful as calcium channel blockers. These compounds, and related pharmaceutical compositions, are useful for treating and preventing a number of disorders such as hypersensitivity, allergy, asthma, bronchospasm, dysmenorrhea, esophageal spasm, glaucoma, premature labor, urinary tract disorders, gastrointestinal motility disorders and cardiovascular disorders.
Thiacycloalkeno[3,2-b]pyridines are inhibitors of calcium ion uptake into smooth muscle tissue. They act to relax or prevent contraction of the tissue mediated by calcium mechanisms (Dodd et al., Drug Des. Discov. 1997 15:135-48). These compounds are active antihypertensives and bronchodilators.
Thiacycloalkeno[3,2-b]pyridines are also useful for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension, ischemia, angina, congestive heart failure, migraines, myocardial infarction and stroke. Such compounds are also useful for the treatment of other disorders such as hypersensitivity, allergy, asthma, dysmenorrhea, esophageal spasm, gastrointestinal motility disorders, glaucoma, premature labor and urinary tract disorders.
Dodd et al. evaluated a series of thiacycloalkeno[3,2-b]pyridines ranging in sulfone ring size from five to nine members for calcium antagonist activity. It was found that increasing the sulfone ring size from 5 to 8 members results in an in vitro potency increase of two orders of magnitude. Aromatic substitution patterns which favor tracheal effects over aortic effects were found to be 2-NO2 and 2-Cl, 6-F. The ester side chain which was found to maximize in vivo activity was the N-benzyl-N-methyl aminoethyl moiety (Dodd et al., Drug Des. Discov. 1997,15:135-48, and Drug Des. Discov. 1993, 10:65-75).
Numerous compounds related to thiacycloalkeno[3,2-b]pyridines are known, as exemplified by the following publications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,177 to Straub discloses a process for the preparation of optically active ortho-substituted 4-aryl- or heteroaryl-1,4-dihydropyridines by oxidation and subsequent reduction from their opposite enantiomers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,440 to Wustrow et al. discloses pyrido[2,3-f][1,4]thiazepines and pyrido[3,2-b][1,5]benzothiazepines which are useful as calcium channel antagonists with cardiovascular, antiasthmatic and antibronchoconstriction activity. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,879,384 and 4,845,225, each to Schwender and Dodd, disclose substituted thiacycloalkeno [3,2-b]pyridines which are also useful as calcium channel antagonists with cardiovascular, antiasthmatic and antibronchoconstrictor activity. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,285,955 and 4,483,985 disclose acyclic sulfone substitution on simple dihydropyridines which possess calcium channel antagonist activity. U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,248 discloses a broad genus of dihydropyridines, including cyclic sulfones fused to a dihydropyridine nucleus. Cardiotonic activity is disclosed for this entire genus. However, these compounds are not calcium channel blockers. Finally, 10-Phenyl-2H-thiopyranol[3,2-b]quinolines are disclosed in Pagani, G. P. A., J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2,1392 (1974).
xe2x80x9cSoft drugsxe2x80x9d (also known as xe2x80x9cantedrugsxe2x80x9d) are biologically active drugs which are metabolically inactivated after they achieve their therapeutic role at their designed site of action. The use of soft drugs, instead of their non-inactivatable analogs, avoids unwanted side effects. Soft drugs are known generally (see, for example, Biggadike et al., 2000, J. Med. Chem. 43:19-21; Lee et al., 1998, Curr. Opin. Drug Disc. Dev. 1: 235-44). However, no dihydropyridine soft drugs are known.
This invention provides novel benzosulfones as defined hereinbelow, as well as methods for making same. This invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the instant compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
This invention further provides a method of treating a subject suffering from a disorder whose alleviation is mediated by the reduction of calcium ion influx into cells whose actions contribute to the disorder, which method comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of the instant pharmaceutical composition.
This invention still further provides a method of inhibiting in a subject the onset of a disorder whose alleviation is mediated by the reduction of calcium ion influx into cells whose actions contribute to the disorder, which method comprises administering to the subject a prophylactically effective dose of the instant pharmaceutical composition.
Finally, this invention provides an apparatus for administering to a subject the instant pharmaceutical composition, comprising a container and the pharmaceutical composition therein, whereby the container has a means for delivering to the subject a therapeutic and/or prophylactic dose of the pharmaceutical composition.
This invention provides a compound of Formula I, 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein
(a) R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, halogen, cyano, NO2, alkyl, C1-8 alkoxy, C,1-8 alkylsulfonyl, C1-4 carboalkoxy, C,1-8 alkylthio, difluoromethoxy, difluoromethylthio, trifluoromethyl, and oxadiazole (formed by R1 and R2);
(b) R6 is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-5 straight or branched alkyl, alkylamine, aryl, 3-piperidyl, N-substituted 3-piperidyl, and N-substituted 2-pyrrolidinyl methylene, wherein
said N-substituted 3-piperidyl and said N-substituted 2-pyrrolidinyl methylene may be substituted with C1-8 straight or branched chain alkyl or benzyl, and said substituted alkyl may be substituted with C1-8 alkoxy, C2-8 alkanoyloxy, phenylacetyloxy, benzoyloxy, hydroxy, halogen, p-tosyloxy, mesyloxy, amino, carboalkoxy or NRxe2x80x2Rxe2x80x3, wherein
(i) Rxe2x80x2 and Rxe2x80x3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-8 straight or branched alkyl, C3-7 cycloalkyl, phenyl, benzyl, and phenethyl, or (ii) Rxe2x80x2 and Rxe2x80x3 together form a heterocyclic ring selected from the group consisting of piperidino, pyrrolidino, morpholino, thiomorpholino, piperazino, 2-thieno, 3-thieno, and an N-substituted derivative of said heterocyclic rings, said N-substituted derivative being substituted with H, C1-8 straight or branched alkyl, benzyl, benzhydryl, phenyl and/or substituted phenyl (substituted with NO2, halogen, C1-8 straight or branched chain alkyl, C1-8 alkoxy and/or trifluoromethyl); and
(c) R7 is selected from the group consisting of H, amino, alkyl, aryl, trifluoromethyl, alkoxymethyl, 2-thieno and 3-thieno.
The following compounds are embodiments of the present invention:
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, 2-[methyl(phenylmethyl)amino]ethyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-(pentafluorophenyl)-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(3-chlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, 2-[methyl(2-thienylmethyl)amino]ethyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2-chloro-6-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, methyl ester, 5,5-dioxide;
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, 2-[methyl(2-thienylmethyl)amino]ethyl ester, 5,5-dioxide; and
[3]Benzothiepino[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2-methyl-, 2-[methyl(phenylmethyl)amino]ethyl ester, 5,5-dioxide.
This invention also provides soft drug analogs of the compounds of Formula I. These soft drugs are characterized by a chemically labile moiety bound to the ester group in turn bound to the dihydropyridine ring structure. The soft drugs permit the instant drugs to exert their effect locally, and to subsequently be metabolized in the blood stream, thereby reducing unwanted systemic effects (e.g. low blood pressure). Use of such soft drug analogs permits the administration of greater doses of the claimed dihydropyridine compounds without subjecting the subject to intolerable levels of unwanted systemic effects.
Specifically, this invention provides compounds of Formula II, 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein
(a) R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, halogen, cyano, NO2, alkyl, C1-8 alkoxy, C1-8 alkylsulfonyl, C1-4 carboalkoxy, C1-8 alkylthio, difluoromethoxy, difluoromethylthio, trifluoromethyl, and oxadiazole (formed by R1 and R2);
(b) R7 is selected from the group consisting of H, amino, alkyl, aryl, trifluoromethyl, alkoxymethyl, 2-thieno and 3-thieno; and
(c) R8 is selected from the group consisting of -alkyl-OH, alkylamine, lactone, cyclic carbonate, alkyl-substituted cyclic carbonate, aryl-substituted cyclic carbonate, -aryl-C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-aryl-C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-OC(O)Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-C(O)Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-N(Rxe2x80x3)C(O)Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, and -alkyl-N(Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x3)C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, wherein
Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 and Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, amino, alkyl, aryl, aryl-fused cycloalkyl and heterocyclyl, the amino, alkyl, aryl, aryl-fused cycloalkyl and heterocyclyl being optionally substituted with halogen, cyano, NO2, lactone, amino, alkylamino, aryl-substituted alkylamino, amide, carbamate, carbamoyl, cyclic carbonate, alkyl, halogen-substituted alkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclyl and/or aryl (the aryl being optionally substituted with OH, halogen, cyano, NO2, alkyl, amino, dimethylamino, alkoxy, alkylsulfonyl, C1-4 carboalkoxy, alkylthio and/or trifluoromethyl).
Each of the embodiments of the compound of Formula I set forth above is also contemplated as an embodiment of the compound of Formula II. In addition, in one embodiment of Formula II, R7 is methyl and R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, trifluoromethyl and NO2. In another embodiment of Formula II, R8 is selected from the group consisting of -alkyl-OH, alkylamine, lactone, cyclic carbonate, alkyl-substituted cyclic carbonate, aryl-substituted cyclic carbonate, -aryl-C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-aryl-C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-C(O)Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, -alkyl-N(Rxe2x80x3)C(O)Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, and -alkyl-N(Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x3)C(O)ORxe2x80x2xe2x80x3. More particularly, R8 is selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94(CH2)2OC(O)CH(CH2CH3)2, xe2x80x94(CH2)2OC(O)CH(CH3)2, xe2x80x94(CH2)2OC(O)PHxe2x80x94OCH(CH3)2, xe2x80x94(CH2OC(O)CH2N(CH3)CH2PH, xe2x80x94CH2OC(O)CH2xe2x80x94PHxe2x80x94N(CH3)2 and xe2x80x94CH2OC(O)CH(CH 2)6.
Unless specified otherwise, the term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d refers to a straight, branched or cyclic substituent consisting solely of carbon and H with no unsaturation. Alkyl may be substituted by, for example, OH, halogen, cyano, NO2, alkyl, C1-8 alkoxy, C1-8 alkylsulfonyl, C1-4 carboalkoxy, and C1-8 alkylthio. The term xe2x80x9calkoxyxe2x80x9d refers to O-alkyl where alkyl is as defined. Aryl substituents include, for example, phenyl, naphthyl, diphenyl, fluorophenyl, difluorophenyl, benzyl, benzoyloxyphenyl, carboethoxyphenyl, acetylphenyl, ethoxyphenyl, phenoxyphenyl, hydroxyphenyl, carboxyphenyl, trifluoromethylphenyl, methoxyethylphenyl, acetamidophenyl, tolyl, xylyl, dimethylcarbamylphenyl and the like. xe2x80x9cArxe2x80x9d may be aryl or heteroaryl. The term xe2x80x9cheterocyclylxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cheterocyclexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cheterocyclic residuexe2x80x9d represents a single or fused ring or rings having at least one atom other than carbon as ring member, e.g. pyridine, pyrimidine, oxazoline, pyrrole, imidazole, morpholine, furan, indole, benzofuran, pyrazole, pyrrolidine, piperidine, thiophene, and benzimidazole. Illustrative alkylamines include xe2x80x94(CH2)2N(Me)CH2(Ar) such as (CH2)2N(Me)CH2(PH), xe2x80x94CH2CH2xe2x80x94N(Me)xe2x80x94CH2(heteroaryl) and 
The symbol xe2x80x9cPhxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cPHxe2x80x9d refers to phenyl. The term xe2x80x9chaloxe2x80x9d means fluoro, chloro, bromo or iodo. A xe2x80x9cdehydrating agent,xe2x80x9d which is used in a solvent such as CH2Cl2 or toluene, includes but is not limited to sulfuric acid and acetic anhydride. xe2x80x9cIndependentlyxe2x80x9d means that when there are more than one substituent, the substitutents may be different.
The compounds of the instant invention are asymmetric in the dihydropyridine ring at the 4-position and thus exist as optical antipodes. As such, all possible optical isomers, antipodes, enantiomers, and diastereomers resulting from additional asymmetric centers that may exist in optical antipodes, racemates and racemic mixtures thereof are also part of this invention. The antipodes can be separated by methods known to those skilled in the art such as, for example, fractional recrystallization of diastereomeric salts of enantiomerically pure acids. Alternatively, the antipodes can be separated by chromatography in a Pirkle-type column.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cpharmaceutically acceptable saltxe2x80x9d means a salt of the free base which possesses the desired pharmacological activity of the free base and which is neither biologically nor otherwise undesirable. These salts may be derived from inorganic or organic acids. Examples of inorganic acids are hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid. Examples of organic acids are acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, mandelic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, methyl sulfonic acid, salicyclic acid and the like.
The instant compounds can be prepared using readily available starting materials and reaction steps well known in the art (Edema et al. J. Org. Chem. 58: 5624-7, 1993; Howard et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 82:158-64, 1960).
This invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the instant compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Pharmaceutical compositions containing a compound of the present invention as the active ingredient in intimate admixture with a pharmaceutical carrier can be prepared according to conventional pharmaceutical techniques. The carrier may take a wide variety of forms depending on the form of preparation desired for administration, such as systemic administration including but not limited to intravenous, oral, nasal or parenteral. In preparing the compositions in oral dosage form, any of the usual pharmaceutical carriers may be employed, such as water, glycols, oils, alcohols, flavoring agents, preservatives, coloring agents, syrup and the like in the case of oral liquid preparations (for example, suspensions, elixirs and solutions), and carriers such as starches, sugars, diluents, granulating agents, lubricants, binders, disintegrating agents and the like in the case of oral solid preparations (for example, powders, capsules and tablets).
In one embodiment, the compounds of the instant invention are administered by inhalation. For inhalation administration, the compounds can be in a solution intended for administration by metered dose inhalers, or in a form intended for a dry powder inhaler or insufflator. More particularly, the instant compounds can be conveniently delivered in the form of an aerosol spray from a pressurized container, a pack or a nebuliser with the use of a suitable propellant, e.g., dichlorodifluoromethane, trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, carbon dioxide or other suitable gas. The dosage unit may be determined by providing a valve to deliver a metered amount. Capsules and cartridges made of a pharmaceutically acceptable material such as gelatin for use in an inhaler or insulator can be formulated to contain a powder mix of the compound and a suitable powder base such as lactose or starch.
Because of their ease of administration, tablets and capsules represent an advantageous oral dosage unit form wherein solid pharmaceutical carriers are employed. If desired, tablets can be sugar-coated or enteric-coated by standard techniques. For parenterals, the carrier will usually comprise sterile water, though other ingredients to aid solubility or to act as preservatives can be included. Injectable suspensions can also be prepared, wherein appropriate liquid carriers, suspending agents and the like are employed.
The instant compounds can also be administered in the form of an aerosol, as discussed above.
The instant pharmaceutical composition can contain a per dosage unit (e.g., tablet, capsule, powder, injection, teaspoonful and the like) from about 0.001 to about 100 mg/kg, and preferably from about 0.01 to about 20 mg/kg of the instant compound.
The compounds of the present invention inhibit the uptake of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells, and therefore act to relax or prevent calcium ion-mediated contraction of smooth muscle tissue.
Thus, this invention further provides a method of treating a subject suffering from a disorder whose alleviation is mediated by the reduction of calcium ion influx into cells whose actions contribute to the disorder, which method comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of the instant pharmaceutical composition. By way of example, in a subject suffering from asthma, the subject""s airways are constricted due to inflammation of airway smooth muscle cells (xe2x80x9cSMC""sxe2x80x9d). Reducing the calcium influx into the SMC""s, whose action (i.e., inflammation) contributes to the disorder, would be expected to alleviate the disorder.
This invention still further provides a method of inhibiting in a subject the onset of a disorder whose alleviation is mediated by the reduction of calcium ion influx into cells whose actions contribute to the disorder, which method comprises administering to the subject a prophylactically effective dose of the instant pharmaceutical composition.
In one embodiment, the disorder is selected from the group consisting of hypersensitivity, allergy, asthma, bronchospasm, dysmenorrhea, esophageal spasm, glaucoma, premature labor, a urinary tract disorder, a gastrointestinal motility disorder and a cardiovascular disorder. In the preferred embodiment, the disorder is asthma. The cardiovascular disorder can be, for example, hypertension, ischemia, angina, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction or stroke.
As used herein, xe2x80x9ctreatingxe2x80x9d a disorder means eliminating or otherwise ameliorating the cause and/or effects thereof. xe2x80x9cInhibitingxe2x80x9d the onset of a disorder means preventing, delaying or reducing the likelihood of such onset.
The term xe2x80x9csubjectxe2x80x9d includes, without limitation, any animal or artificially modified animal. In the preferred embodiment, the subject is a human.
Methods are known in the art for determining therapeutically and prophylactically effective doses for the instant pharmaceutical composition. The effective dose for administering the pharmaceutical composition to a human, for example, can be determined mathematically from the results of animal studies.
This invention further provides an apparatus for administering to a subject the instant pharmaceutical composition, comprising a container and the pharmaceutical composition therein, whereby the container has a means for delivering to the subject a therapeutic and/or prophylactic dose of the pharmaceutical composition. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus is an aerosol spray device for treating and/or preventing asthma via topical respiratory administration.
Finally, this invention provides a process for preparing the compound of Formula I 
which process comprises reacting compound 1a with compounds of Formulae 1b and 1c to form the corresponding compound of Formula 1d. 
This invention will be better understood by reference to the Experimental Details that follow, but those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that these are only illustrative of the invention as described more fully in the claims which follow thereafter. Additionally, throughout this application, various publications are cited. The disclosure of these publications is hereby incorporated by reference into this application to describe more fully the state of the art to which this invention pertains.